


Whatever It Takes

by NoMeImporta32



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:34:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24183691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoMeImporta32/pseuds/NoMeImporta32
Summary: When the ghosts of the Agreste family's past return to Paris, Adrien begins to question how well he actually knew his mother. He will need Ladybug more than ever, but one secret threatens to keep them apart.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Emilie Agreste/Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth & Nathalie Sancoeur
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is not mine. Well, this story is. The rest, not so much. Thomas Astruc and ZAG own Miraculous and certain characters.  
> Author’s Note: Unfortunately, I do not speak French nor German. So, please forgive any mistakes. I want to thank The Mishmosh Bird for being my beta. Only constructive criticism please. Oh, and warning for the slight use of foul language.

A woman in her mid-thirties wandered down the street, consulting her map every few blocks. On this breezy Friday morning, she wore a pleated blouse and flare jeans with a bright pink shoulder bag to clash with the deep mahogany of her top. However, it was her ebony cane that attracted the curious looks as she navigated through the bustling city. She ignored them, taking to admiring the intricate façades of the older buildings instead. She could easily imagine living here with Félix, finally returning to their cultural roots. Every so often, she had to pull her attention away from the architecture to ensure she didn’t miss a turn or walk past her destination.

“Sheisse! Ugh, French! This city! You leave for a decade or two and they change everything around on you.” She grumbled to herself as she took a break on a bench to reorient herself. Paris was much bigger than she remembered. How could there be many boulevards that led nowhere? It was just frustrating to make so many twists and turns, only to end up back at another dead-end.

To make matters worse, the bakery where she and her sister… It would just be _her_ favorite bakery now, wouldn’t it? It had closed down eight years ago, which set her on this quest to locate Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie for a late breakfast. All the reviews on TripAdvisor had raved about the place.

Though she wanted Félix to experience authentic French cuisine while they were in the capital, she made a note to pick up some Krapfens. He had been so good about the move and a treat from home may cheer him up somewhat. As much as he denied it, he had as much of a sweet-tooth as she did. Looking up from her map, she smiled in relief at the sight of the street sign that read: _Rue Gotlib_.

She pushed herself to her feet with assistance from her cane and turned down the road to a bizarre spectacle. An orange troll suddenly landed in the middle of the street, cracking the sidewalk under its massive girth. Slapping a hand over her mouth, she ducked back behind the corner. It was not possible. She peeked around the side, trying to rationalize what she actually saw. It was too insane to be real. She must have seen a parade float or some sort of a promotional event. Maybe she was suffering from a case of heat stroke and hallucinated it!

However, her green eyes locked onto the beast and noted details of its overall appearance, forcing the brain to accept the reality of a troll rampaging in the streets of Paris. Its orange skin was a sickly hue with patches of a green gradient, reminding her of decaying fruit. On top of its head, between two horns, sat a comically small crown. With a dramatic flair, the troll flicked its furry cape back to reveal a royal sceptre.

Suddenly, everyone broke out of their stupor and fled from the beast. The woman stumbled back too, gripping her cane tightly for support. She heard of the onslaught of supervillains from the news, but no one ever told her that they would be literal monsters! It just never quite registered as real before. Now, with the monstrous proof before her, there was no denying reality. Deciding against staying to see a real super villain in action, she turned to follow the fleeing crowd. Perhaps, moving here with Félix wasn’t such a good idea. Then, again, she was needed here and it would not serve her purpose to return to Germany. She had planned for these monsters, but now those plans seemed rather feeble.

Sheisse! Did insurance even cover supervillain attacks?

A shrill bell broke her out of the flood of panic thoughts. Glancing over her shoulder, she halted in cold realization as the target of the beast’s ire became abundantly clear, a school across the street. Classes had started once more, leaving everyone inside oblivious to the approaching threat.

“Who is short now? Who is tiny now? I’ll show them. No one laughs at Giant King!” The orange troll roared, finally drawing the attention of the students. Despite his frightening appearance, the Giant King sounded more like a snarling kid with the undertone of a grizzly bear. Erupting into crazed laughter, he held up his sceptre and created a beam of light from the tip, focusing it upon the school.

Rapidly, the school began to shrink. People screamed from inside and rushed for the exits. The walls were closing in on them. Where were the heroes? She scanned the skyline, but they were empty. Children screamed… A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of challenging the Giant King, but this was one woman who did not tolerate bullies. She could not stand by and let this creature hurt the people still trapped in the school.

The woman’s gaze swept the area, looking for anything to distract the beast. For a moment, she considered smacking the beast with her walking stick, but dismissed it immediately. It was too risky as she needed it to move. In all likelihood, her direct attack would do more damage to her and the stick than the Giant King. Maybe a long-distance attack or…

She spotted a circular lid that had been propped up against its trash can and picked it up before briskly walking over to the other side of the road, where more cars were located. Once in place, she threw it like a Frisbee towards the troll. She cursed violently in German when the lid completely missed after traveling a short distance. Thankfully, the clatter it made against the ground startled the supervillain enough that he lost his concentration on the current attack.

“Oy, du Balg! Leave those kids alone!” She dived behind a car to avoid a blast from the shrink ray. As expected, the vehicle soon began to shrink. She struggled to crawl towards the open shop for shelter, but any pressure on her right knee was too painful. She had hoped the adrenaline would be enough to help her power through the pain, but that was not the case. Her eyes darted around for another escape route, but nothing was in reach.

“Who the hell are you? You picking on me too? No one picks on a king!” announced the Giant King as he prepared for another attack.

“Sheisse! Oh, sheisse!” Naturally, the sudden awareness that this was a bad idea occurred after she did the thing and unfortunately, her big sister was not here to bail her out this time. On the upside, Giant King ceased his attack on the school to turn towards the new distraction and bought the students time to escape. Still, she wished she wasn’t the thing distracting him. She could already see her obituary in tomorrow’s paper: Died at thirty-five, killed by a freaking troll, because apparently, those exist now!

“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” A young man in a skin-tight cat suit challenged as he jumped into the fray. He knocked the sceptre out of the troll’s hand with a flick of the staff before striking him back. The blond cat-boy called over his shoulder to the woman with a cocky expression. “You better run to… safety… You!”

The catboy’s eyes widened in recognition as his voice was reduced to a stutter. Before he could recover, the Giant King retrieved his sceptre, clearly intending to bring it down on his head and the woman called out a warning. Thankfully, some kind of a rope wrapped around the catboy and yanked him out of danger. With a menacing grunt, the beast leapt after him.

Freed from the Giant King’s attention, the woman didn’t waste another second. Using her cane as support, she quickly ducked into the nearest shop, which luckily was Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. Collapsing on the floor of the bakery, she took a few deep breaths to ease her rapidly beating heart and choked back a complete meltdown. She nearly died. She nearly died!

Once she caught her breath, she grabbed the window ledge and helped herself off the floor, inadvertently gaining a clear view of the battle outside. Another hero in red, a young lady this time, had shown up to take on the beast, swinging around what looked like a yo-yo.

Seriously, a yo-yo? The observer shook her head at the absurdity of the whole situation. This was just another reminder of how the city had changed since she had lived here. At that thought, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh or pinch herself, because reality didn’t seem real anymore. How the hell were the Parisians dealing with this on a daily basis?

“G-Guten, guten morgen! Nein, warten. Err… Bonjour à tous? Is there anyone here?” She fumbled in her French, quietly thanking the heavens that this place was even open. It was official. She joined the madness. A giant troll was outside and here she was, ordering pastries.

“Bonjour! May I help you?” A kind voice pulled her gaze from the window as a petite figure from the back appeared. A small woman with dark hair—likely, Sabine, one of the owners—hurried up to the counter while a tall man with a large build peeked out from the kitchen. The woman guessed that he was Tom of the duo and took a deep breath to regain her composure.

“Yes! Hello! Umm… Sorry, I am a little slow in the mornings and it had been a… Err, a strange morning. Do you know what is going on…?” She gestured to the window in confusion as she limped over to the counter.

“Oh, my! Are you alright?” Sabine exclaimed, taking note of the cane in her hand. From the concern plastered across her face, it was a safe bet to say that Sabine was seconds away from calling 112. The reaction to her disability was something familiar that the woman could deal with. Though, it would be nice if her bad knee wasn’t the first thing people saw in her. Yes, she walked with a limp. She had been doing it for years, nothing special. She hated the fuss and assumptions.

“Yes, this is an old injury. Car accident. Has Paris always been attacked by giant trolls?” The woman persisted, tightening her grip on the walking stick irritably. After the morning she had, Sabine would be wise to drop the subject of her limp.  
“From out of town? Unfortunately, a supervillain named Hawk Moth appeared to create more supervillains and demanded the accessories of our new superheroes, Ladybug and Chat Noir, in exchange. No one really knows why, but there are many rumors that they can grant wishes!” Sabine explained, but she wasn’t sure if the customer understood everything she said as the blonde woman still had a perplexed look on her face. Taking pity, Sabine smiled and changed the subject. “What can I get you this morning?”

“Oh, yes! I heard this is the best bakery in Paris and I know my son would love some of… Umm… Those breads with sugar and is round… Umm…” The woman stumbled at the sudden topic shift and made a circular motion with her finger to help communicate her order before pointing at some pastries. “Those! I would like a dozen of those please. Oooh! And a baguette! Please.”

“Donuts?” Sabine offered, nodding empathically. She remembered how she used to get stuck on words when she first moved to Paris. It can be a bit nerve-wracking to find the right word, especially in front of a native speaker.

“Yes.” The customer tried to cover her embarrassed blush with her hand. “I am sorry. It has been a long time since I had been in Paris and I have not spoken French in a while. In Germany, we call them Krapfen.”

“Germany, how interesting! But, I thought the German word for a donut was Berliner.” Tom walked over to fill the order, dusting off some flour from his hands.

“Only the Northern half call Krapfen that. I mean, Krapfen is the… Um, der richtige Ausdruck? The word? Yes, the word… The word, Krapfen, is used for donut where I live.” The blonde woman explained, glancing back at the window. Both Tom and Sabine noticed she relaxed considerably as the latest akuma attack was no longer occurring outside.

“How exciting! What brought you to Paris?” Sabine inquired, hoping to further distract the woman. Akuma attacks were simply terrible for business, except for the tourist industry. Americans often came to Paris for a glimpse of a superhero in action.

“I am visiting… Mein neffe… I’m sorry, I cannot remember the word. Family! Family works. In a way… It is complicated. I have not seen them in a long time. Now, I hear the little one is almost all grown up and I have missed so much already, but I hope there is still time to build a… a… a relationship! Yes, a relationship between us.”

“I understand. My own mother travels a lot as well and had a hard time adjusting to how our Marinette had grown up.” Tom placed the order on the counter as Sabine rang it up. “Here, take some macarons on the house. A little sugar can go a long way in building a relationship.”

“You’re giving me these, yes? Yes. Thank you! How kind! My boys will love these!” She clapped her hands in delight as she paid for the donuts. She carried the sweets away with a bright new smile on her face, despite the fact her leg was starting to throb from all the excitement. Thankfully, she had painkillers back at the hotel room that should get her through the rest of the day. The only problem with that was the part “at the hotel room,” which was across town. Waving off the kind couple’s concern, she explained that she could make it to the nearest metro station with little trouble as she exited the shop.

“Poor thing. Did she look familiar to you? I feel like I recognize her, but I cannot remember from where.” Sabine asked her husband as soon as the door had fallen firmly shut.

“Yeah, now that you mention it. Hmm… Perhaps, she has one of those faces.” Tom shrugged.

“I wish I had thought to ask for her name.”


	2. Distractions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: None of this is mine, except the plot! The Miraculous universe and characters belong to Thomas Astruc and Sébastien Thibaudeau, the writers of the show.
> 
> Author’s Note: I must thank The Mishmosh Bird for not only beta-reading this chapter but helping with some of the actual writing.

“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” Chat Noir extended his staff to knock the sceptre out of the new villain’s hand before landing in front of him. While the troll was still overdramatically reacting to the loss of his weapon, Chat took the opening to strike the bewildered beast like a baseball player hitting a homerun. The Giant King flew back, smashing into the abandoned bus, which groaned in protest. Chat let out a laugh as the self-proclaimed king reminded him more of a snarling rotten mango with limbs and a crown. With a smirk, the young hero turned to civilian cowering behind a literal mini-van.

“You better run to… safety…” Words that he must have said a million times over his career of a hero suddenly died on his lips as the woman pulled herself up, using the tiny car as leverage. Her green eyes, their familiar shape, captured his attention first, followed by the golden hair pulled into a side ponytail. She looked exactly as he remembered. “You!”

Chat didn’t believe in ghosts. Well, unless Hawk Moth akumatized someone to have ghost powers, then it was possible, but the idea of someone who died coming back to life and haunting the living was too much of a stretch for him. He’ll accept magic that comes from the Miraculous, the kwamis, and the mysterious man posing as his Chinese tutor, Master Fu, but he’ll draw the line at anything supernatural. Growing up behind the scenes of movies and photoshoots explained away even the spookiest of hauntings through special effects and illusions. However, years of skepticism came crashing down at the startling sight of her.

“Mom? You can’t… I mean, you… Here?”

Before his faltering voice could finish a thought, she shouted something at him and frantically pointed behind him. A whizz of a yo-yo was the only warning he got when he was suddenly ripped into the sky. A crunch of pavement rang out below him. Ladybug allowed herself a small chuckle at the sight of Chat bouncing a bit on the roof as she hauled him up to safety.

“Bonjour, kitty. Aren’t you supposed to land on your feet?” Instead of bantering back, Chat wildly disentangled himself from the yo-yo string and peered over the edge. Below, the rotten mango snarled unintelligible threats, furious at missing the hero. The street was in pieces from Giant King’s blow. More importantly, Chat’s phantom had disappeared. Had she actually been there at all? She had to be. People don’t just disappear… People don’t usually disappear.

“Chat Noir!” The young man flinched at her voice and in that moment, he perfectly resembled a spooked cat. Ladybug might have laughed, if this behavior wasn’t so out of character for her partner. Normally, he always has a quip or pun for her and never had he ignored her before. “Chat, are you okay?”

“What? Oh, yeah. Fine, my Lady.” Chat replied quickly, still not meeting her gaze. However, their conversation was put on hold as orange beams of light shot out towards them. The two heroes dived back behind the arch of the roof. “Jeez, Hawk Moth is sure starting the day early with this one. Let’s hurry up and get that akuma.” “It must be in the sceptre. Chat, create a distraction. I’ll sneak around the back and steal it.” He nodded. The mischievous glimmer returned in his eyes as Ladybug swung down to the street over.

Of all the days Marinette had to make it to school on time, it had to be today. She thought it was her lucky day, until the walls literally started to close in on her. Trying to find a place to sneak off to transform was hard enough, but to have this on top of a best friend who refused to leave her behind might as well made it impossible. Thankfully, she managed to lose Alya Césaire in the crowd, but she was in for one heck of an interrogation when Alya catches up with her again.

“One catastrophe at a time.” She chided herself as she took her position behind an advisement of rock star, Jagged Stone. Speaking of a catastrophe…

“Cataclysm!” Chat declared, activating his special ability. Jumping out from their shrinking shelter, he slid the black energy across the shingles of the roof and sent them raining down on the troll.

“Hey, your majesty! Where is your kingdom? Is it just too small to see?” Chat taunted as the Giant King shielded his head from the falling flagstone. As Ladybug expected, the Giant King can only blast one thing at a time. Swinging her yo-yo, she threw it towards the sceptre. Unfortunately, she missed when she was suddenly yanked back. A cascade of flagstone shattered where she had been standing moments ago.

“Are you alright, Ladybug?” Alya inquired with her boyfriend, Nino Lahiffe, breathlessly by her side. For the first time, Alya’s phone was nowhere in sight, having abandoned it to save the young heroine. She quickly glanced over at Giant King, who was buried under roof shingles.

“Yes. Thank you, but you have to get out of here. It is not safe.”

“No kidding! Did Chat seriously drop a roof on you?” Nino asked incredulously, gesturing to the broken shards littering the ground.

“Ladybug! Are you hurt? I’m so sorry!” Using his staff, Chat abandoned his post to check her on the street. His back was to the figure emerging from the flagstone.

“Chat! What are you doing? Look out!” She tackled him behind the advisement as a blast passed inches away from them. They separated again, forcing the villain to choose between targets.

“Ugh! Stand still! I’m the king!” The Giant King bellowed, stamping his foot in frustration. Chat sidestepped another attack with the perfect pun on his lips, but then he caught sight of her, his ghost, inside Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. Her back was to him, but he could recognise her figure. Who was she?

“Chat, get down!” Ladybug yelled, tackling her partner out of the way of the sceptre’s blast once again. A lamppost was reduced to the size of a lantern. Both heroes were quick to get back to their feet and dived behind a building to regroup. “I need you to stay focused, Chat Noir! What's gotten into you?”

“Sorry, my Lady. It won’t happen again.” Chat assured her, shaking his head clear. Answers can wait until they finish dealing with the akuma. Already, several people have been hurt when frantically evacuating from the shrinking school.

From their vantage point, they could see a couple of police officers helping direct people towards safety while a tiny Lieutenant Roger Raincomprix barked orders. Chat’s focus zoomed in on Alya assisting a slumped Nino towards emergency services. Was he hurt? When did that happen? Chat was too far away to tell the extent of his best friend’s injuries, but his resolve steeled itself. They had to stop Giant King, before he could hurt anyone else. To do that, they had to smash that sceptre. Seeing her partner more focused, Ladybug decided to pull out all the stops.

“Lucky Charm!” To her surprise, a red carton with black spots of milk appeared and dropped in her hand. “Okay, what am I supposed to do with this?

“Maybe, he’s lactose intolerant?” Chat suggested with a shrug. He peeked out to see Giant King wandering, calling out for Paris’ heroes with the classic villain menace. “I’ll keep our buddy distracted while you put your thinking cat on.”

Ladybug nodded and started scanning the area. Grinning, Chat Noir pounced over the bus, stealing Giant King’s attention. The clangs of sceptre against his staff were like soothing music to his ears. His maelstrom in his mind finally settled down into something that could pass for calm as Chat sank into the familiar movements of combat. Parry here, now thrust! Turn, side step his strike, strike back now! Missed. Strike again! Dodged. From the corner of his eye, Chat could see the last of his classmates turn a corner and out of sight.

“Chat Noir! Get ready!” Ladybug chucked the carton at the villain while Chat ducked out of the way. Seeing the strange object flying towards him, the villain shrank it on reflex. Though the container shrunk, the milk inside did not and the built-up pressure exploded in Giant King’s face. He screamed as the sticky liquid blinded him, automatically dropping the sceptre. Finally having the opportunity to seize the specter, Chat tossed it back to his partner, who smashed it. Out of its pieces flew a black butterfly.

“Time to de-evilize! Gotcha!” Ladybug declared, capturing and purifying the akuma with a twirl of her magical yo-yo. She released the white butterfly with her usual send-off and threw the ruined carton in the air with a shout, “Miraculous Ladybug!”

Suddenly, it burst into millions of sparkling ladybugs and restored the world to what it should be. She never could get used to the sight, still feeling the same awe as she did back on the first day. Ladybug was so engaged in the magic that she didn’t even notice Chat’s absence until she held out her fist for their celebratory fist bump. Surprised, she quickly looked around before catching sight of Chat racing over to her parents’ bakery and peering through the window.

“Chat, what are you doing? Are you alright?” She inquired, looking to see what caught his attention, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Her parents even waved excitedly at the sight of them, making the young heroine smile. Chat seemed to come to the same conclusion from the sound of his disappointed sigh.

“I’m pawsitively purr-fect, Ladybug. Don’t worry. I just… thought I saw someone I knew. Anyway, gotta go before we change back.” He quickly asserted before making his getaway. Guilt weighing heavily on his back, he wished he could explain to her why he was distracted today, but then that would be getting into secret identity territory and he knew how she felt about that. Still, he wished he could tell someone. How often did someone see a ghost?

“Wait! Chat!” Ladybug made to chase after him, but the beeping of her earrings held her back. Instead, she turned and saw medics had already surrounded the victim. She noticed a plastic sceptre laying abandoned in the road and took a minute to return it. The victim, a boy only a few years younger than her, lit up at the sight of it. He took his oversized crown off for a dramatic bow as he proclaimed great gratitude on behalf of his imaginary troll kingdom. With a warm smile, Ladybug swung to safety to transform, but her thoughts kept returning to the haunted look in Chat Noir’s eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: As for the identity of the woman from the beginning, all will be revealed in the next chapter.


	3. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Translations for the German will be at the bottom. Please, forgive any mistakes. Disclaimer is at the bottom to avoid spoilers. As always, constructive criticism is appreciated.

The final bell rang and the classroom burst with activity of students excited to go home for the long weekend, except for one. Adrien Agreste sighed in disappointment as he collected his supplies and slung his backpack over his shoulder. He glanced at the empty chair to his right before grabbing Nino’s homework from Ms. Bustier. After a month of asking and imploring, his father finally relented and gave his permission for Adrien to spend the entire weekend at his best friend’s house. Unfortunately, Nino fell on some broken flagstone while shielding Alya from Giant King. The same flagstone that Chat Noir almost dropped on Ladybug, if it were not for the quick thinking of the couple. One of the shards managed to impale Nino’s arm, forcing him to cancel.

Maybe, it was a good thing he cancelled. Adrien wasn’t sure if he could even be near his best friend right now. If he had been more careful this morning or taken down Giant King sooner, then Nino wouldn’t be in the hospital right now. His best friend had always been there for him. So, when Nino needed him, what happened? Instead of doing his job as Chat Noir, he had let thoughts of his mother distract him from his job. She was gone and Nino is here. It was as simple as that. Adrien had to focus on those who were counting on him, not on those who disappeared without a word of why or even where. Anyway, nothing changed the fact she was never coming back, despite what he saw this morning.

“No matter how much I want you to.” The thought slipped softly past his lips, adding finality to the situation. He pushed himself forward to meet his ride, feeling like a lead weight was tied to his back with each step.

“Umm… Adr-Adrien…” A quiet voice stuttered behind him, but another, much louder, voice cut her off.

“Adriekins!” Chloé Bourgeois shrieked, tackling the fourteen year old model in a tight embrace. She shot a smug glance at Marinette Dupain-Cheng, who glared back at her. Naturally, Adrien missed this exchange, focusing more on escaping Chloé’s crushing grasp. Sabrina Raincomprix, Chloé’s shadow and personal assistant, followed two steps behind the mayor’s daughter and offered a quiet wave in greeting. “Sabrina and I are going to the movies. You tots should come with!”

“Thanks, Chloé, but I gotta make sure Nino gets his homework.” While he appreciated the invitation, he doubted he would make good company and would hate to pass on his sour disposition on to one of his oldest friends. Besides, how could he go have fun while Nino was in the hospital? His bodyguard would be here to pick him up soon and sequester him away for yet another weekend. He sighed dejectedly as the sunlight hit his green eyes.

“We can give you a ride! Daddy sent the limo. Drop off the whatever and then come to the movies with me!” Suddenly, she was back to half hanging on his arm, half dragging him towards the shining white limo. It was tempting. A little freedom before his bodyguard got here… 

“Adrien! Adrien! Over here!” The fourteen year old boy turned towards the unfamiliar voice, only for the sight to hit him like a defibrillator to the chest. His breath grew short. His legs froze in place as the world lit a spotlight on a beautiful woman, the same one from this morning’s attack. She leaned on an ebony cane as she waved like a madwoman, practically dancing in place, in her boundless excitement, from the bottom of the stone steps. Her golden curls bounced in her eager attempts to capture Adrien’s attention with a bright smile so familiar that it hurt.

Not hearing Chloé’s persistent queries, Adrien sprinted down the steps. His green eyes locked on the ethereal figure as if she would disappear the second he looked away. She met him halfway, sweeping him up in the warmest embrace. The cane bounced against the ground as the woman leaned into Adrien for more support, bringing him close to her chest. “Oh, how I have missed you, mein schatz!”

“Mother, please! This is not the place.” A grim boy chided suddenly as he retrieved her walking stick while balancing a box of macarons in the other arm. Adrien barely caught the yelp in his throat, tightening his grip on her, as he nearly stumbled back at the sudden appearance of the individual. The newcomer—or had he always been present?—rolled his blue eyes and spared their gathering audience a brief scowl. Finally registering the older boy’s words, Adrien stepped back to get a clearer view of the two. The upturned eyes and golden hair were the same, but this woman had a rounder face and more pronounced features. She wasn’t… who he thought.

Of course not. Why would she be here? More importantly, why did this stranger have to look so much like her? She bore the very image of his mother, as though Emilie Agreste simply strolled right off the starlit movie screen. Was this another cruel ruse from the universe? The woman’s smile faltered at the fall of Adrien’s face and sad understanding replaced it.

“It is nice to see you again, Adrien. You don’t remember me. Of course not. How could you? You were only a… a… I know this. Umm… Well, you were only some days old when I saw you last. A baby! Yes, that is the word. _Ahem_ , I am your… mother’s sister… What is the word? Ugh, I am sorry, mein schatz. I… I… Err, my French, I mean… My French is not what it used to be.” She struggled to find the right words. Her nerves raced, which thickened her already strong German accent. Groaning in frustration, she looked frantically towards her right. “Félix, wie sagt man tante auf Französisch?”

“Aunt, mother. The word you are looking for is aunt.” The older boy drawled, briefly adjusting his grip on the white box before pulling out his cheap phone. Unlike his mother, his accent was hardly noticeable. He reminded Adrien of a black and gray version of his father. He wore a black tie, a slate vest over his gray dress shirt, matching dress pants, and shiny, dress shoes. His clothes seemed more suited to a funeral rather than a family reunion.

“Is it really? No real translation there, huh? Thank you, Félix.” She nodded before addressing Adrien once more. Unlike her son, she was an explosion of color. Her floral blazer was a mesh of pinks, greens, and black over her cream-lace top and vividly burgundy slacks. The only part of her appearance that had not been upgraded to designer was the beat-up handbag over her shoulder. “I am your Aunt Moria! And, this is your cousin, my son, Félix. Oh, I am so happy to see you, mein schatz!”

“Mother, I’m sure Adrien understands how a family tree works. Unless, of course, his time as a model has dulled him completely.” Félix rolled his blue eyes while tucking the white box under his left arm to text with both hands. He didn’t bother to hide the contempt in his voice nor shift any attention from his mobile phone. Adrien looked between the two. His mind was reeling at the new information. He had an aunt and cousin? Why had his father never told him? Or, his mother, for that matter, before she disappeared. Félix was easily two years older than him.

“What…? I don’t understand.” So many questions flooded his brain and got caught in his throat. He didn’t know where to start. What other secrets were his parents keeping from him?

“Easy there, Adrien. Félix didn’t mean it. He is in… in…” Moria apologized flustered, resting a hand on her nephew’s shoulder. It felt familiar and warm, yet its distance coolly reminded the young model that it was still a stranger’s hand.

“Insensitive, indifferent to others, inveterate in his ways, incorrigible in his behavior.” Félix listed in an unhelpful monotone, ignoring his mother’s embarrassment.

“Incorrigible will do, Félix. Erinnere dich an deine Manieren und steck dein Telefon weg, sofort!” Moria hissed, shifting her stance to face him more without turning her back on the befuddled Adrien. Putting the phone down yet keeping it in hand, Félix leveled an accusatory glare at his cousin that almost had Adrien blurting out an apology right then and there.

“Where have you—” Adrien’s inquiry was abruptly cut off from the familiar call of his name.

“Adrien.” Nathalie Sancoeur approached on a warpath. Each sharp click of the heels sent out tidal waves of rage in her wake. The Gorilla followed her warily while trying to be as small a target as possible. She placed a possessive hand on Adrien’s shoulder, pulling him behind her and towards the Gorilla. “Ms. Paumé, what are you doing here?”

“How rude. No hello or a kiss on the cheek, Nathalie?” Adrien could feel the air drop several degrees in temperature as Nathalie’s glare intensified, but Moria remained unflinching. Instead, she gestured to the bystanders and teenagers around them. “Perhaps, we should wait until we are back at the house, Nathalie. I would hate to cause a scene in front of all these people and hurt Gabe’s re… Respond? Responsible?”

“Respectable reputation.” Félix supplied in a bored tone, his attention already back to texting on his phone. His mother failed to notice as her green eyes were locked with Nathalie’s icy blue ones.

“ _Respectable_ reputation.” Moria repeated, full of venom.

“Mr. Agreste had made it clear that you are not welcome here and especially not around Adrien.” Nathalie stated firmly, her jaw ticking ever so slightly. Adrien had never seen his father’s assistant this angry before and kept glancing in the sky for fear of akumas. He had to do something before this escalated any further, but he didn’t want to lose the chance to to speak with the first person willing to tell him about this mother. What would Ladybug do?

“I don’t think you understand, Nathalie. This is a matter of family. I am not leaving this time, until you tell me what happened to my sister and I ensure the safety of my nephew.” Moria announced loudly with practiced ease, smirking at the sight of Nathalie’s face growing white. Félix facepalmed at his mother’s theatrics while the Gorilla continued to watch the volley between the two women intently.

“Please, Nathalie, don’t send them away. I didn’t even know I had relatives, much less an aunt and cousin. Can’t we at least hear them out?” Adrien broke in, unwittingly drawing even more spectators over. Determined to defuse the situation, Nathalie silently signaled for the Gorilla to take the reluctant boy back to the car. Once they had departed, Moria leaned on her walking stick, drawing closer to Nathalie, and dropped her voice to a whisper.

“Now, don’t you think this… Sheisse! Was ist das Wort für Gespräch? Don’t you think this talk should wait until we are back at the house? Unless you would like to explain to Mr. Agreste the scene you created in front of… in front of… in front of everyone.”

“I could just leave you here. We’ve dealt with bad press before. By the way, Ms. Paumé, your French is excellent. I’m sure your command of the language won’t hinder your exposé in any way.” The brunette replied condescendingly as she pulled her head and shoulders back. Her mouth twisted into an awful sneer in the absolute confidence of her victory.

“Yes, I saw that episode of the Challenge.” Nathalie bristled at the mentioning of the odious television show as memories of the Jackady incident came flooding back. Moria smirked as she continued, “Gabe always being… being… Wie sagt man kein Spielverderber auf Französisch?”

“A good sport.” Félix provided drily with an eye roll before turning attention back to the phone.

“A good sport? Are you sure? Never mind. Thank you, Félix.” Moria continued, savoring the cold realization in her opponent’s expression.

“I will ensure that both Gabe and I make the headlines. I mean, a family scandal?” She gave an exaggerated shrug, flitting her green eyes to the amassed spectators. Phones were out now, waiting to catch the epic blow-up on camera. “Now, who doesn’t love that? I’m not going away, Nathalie. Now, take us to the car.”

“This way to the car.” Natalie relented, disappointing the onlookers. Twin expressions of shock were on the faces of Adrien and the Gorilla when she approached the vehicle with the mother-son duo in tow.

As he drove towards the Agreste Mansion, the bodyguard stole glimpses of the backseat. Nathalie quietly fumed in her seat, focusing on her tablet rather than acknowledging the presence of their guests. No doubt she was alerting Mr. Agreste of the situation. Félix, on the other hand, helped himself to a maracon from the box in his lap and ignored everyone, staring out the car window in disinterest.

A heavy tension had filled the car, but Moria almost seemed to be oblivious to it as she asked Adrien about school and his plans, beyond simple grades. She wanted to know about his friends, his favorite classes, and his possible crushes. She listened to his every word and continued to ask questions, pausing to ask Félix for a translation every so often. Though Adrien was used to being the center of attention, this felt different. It was strange and uncomfortable, but he liked it. Because… For the first time since his mom’s disappearance, an adult cared about what he had to say and saw him more than an extension of his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: The mystery woman has been introduced and she is not alone. Félix has been a character that doesn’t receive much love, but Edorazzi on Tumblr created this amazing Twins AU. Everyone should check out this artist’s work, because it is incredible. One last thing, the word “aunt” in both French and German is “tante,” much to my surprise.
> 
> Disclaimer: The Miraculous universe and characters, with the exception of Moria Paumé, belong to Thomas Astruc and Sébastien Thibaudeau. Félix Paumé is based on the character, Félix Agreste, who also belongs to Thomas Astruc and Sébastien Thibaudeau.
> 
> Translations:  
> Mein schatz = My treasure (terms of endearment)  
> Wie sagt man tante auf Französisch? = How do you say aunt in French?  
> Erinnere dich an deine manieren und stecken Sie das Telefon weg. Sofort! = Remember your manners and put the phone away. Right now!  
> Was ist das Wort für Gespräch? = What is the word for conversation?  
> Wie sagt man kein Spielverderber auf Französisch? = How do you say a good sport in French?


	4. Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Translations will be at the bottom. Please, forgive any mistakes. As always, constructive criticism is appreciated. I must thank The Mishmosh Bird for beta-reading this chapter and helping with some of the writing.
> 
> Disclaimer: The Miraculous universe and characters, with the exception of Moria Paumé, belong to Thomas Astruc and Sébastien Thibaudeau. Félix Paumé is based on the character, Félix Agreste, who also belongs to Thomas Astruc and Sébastien Thibaudeau.

“That Nino sounds like a wonderful boy! And, smart too. Standing up to a bully like that, even though it was your father, it is a sign that you two will be friends for a long time. Remember, mein schatz, always… umm, always… Schätzen, nein schätzen… I know this. That verb that means schätzen. Do you know the word, mein schatz? It is like having lots of gold in a place, like the x is on the spot, but a verb!” Moria inquired eagerly, looking at Adrien expectantly instead of Félix as she attempted to mime the word she was searching for. 

“Err… Do you mean treasure?” Adrien suggested, trying not to laugh. Her growing excitement was infectious as she kept slipping back into German. Adrien didn’t mind, because he enjoyed guessing what she meant. It had become their little game in a way. 

“Treasure! Yes, always treasure those who add their mustard!” Moria declared excitedly, clapping her hands together as she unwittingly mixed her idioms. Adrien glanced at Félix for a translation, but the older boy continued to ignore him. “I’m sorry, mein schatz. Erzählt Ihnen unsere Lebensgeschichte. I want to hear more about you. Now, tell me more about your friends! Got your eye on anyone?” 

Adrien blushed as thoughts of Ladybug popped into his head, but fortunately (or unfortunately) they had arrived at their destination before he could decide what exactly to tell his aunt. At the sight of the looming structure before them, the young model lingered beside the limo and reluctantly eyed the front door. After seeing Nathalie’s uncharacteristic reaction back at school, Adrien steadily grew to dread the idea of facing his father even more. To his dismay, the ominous clang from the gate locking dispelled any last-minute notions of avoiding the upcoming confrontation. 

A box of pastries being shoved into his hands startled Adrien out of his spiral of negativity. He looked up just in time to catch Felix’s eye roll before exiting the limo. The older boy paused halfway down the walkway to smooth his appearance in preparation. His blue eyes flickered back to see if the rest of the group was coming, lingering a moment longer on his mother. 

Sharing Félix’s grim demeanor, Moria squared her shoulders as if she was about to march on to a battlefield. Her green eyes roved over the tan and cream bricks, making up the four-story mansion. Even the black shingles glistening on the roof flaunted the wealth. In the end, the stone fence surrounding the property disgusted Moria the most. The walls blocked any view of the outside from the ground floor, ensuring nothing could get in or out. This home had been turned into a prison. Inside the house was no better. The cylindrical lights illuminated the white walls, making them a tad more welcoming than a sterile tomb. Gray marble and black details decorated the room, adding to the grand yet reserved nature. The only personal touch to differentiate the foyer from a watered-down entrance of a gothic cathedral was the large portrait of the two, unhappy occupants at the top of the stairs. Moria lingered near the giant crimson plants, the only source of color in the whole room, and smoothed her pants of imaginary wrinkles, suddenly feeling rather cheap amidst all the imposing opulence. 

“The warmth left with Emilie…” Moria observed quietly, trying to align the present mansion to the one from her memories. Her sister would never allow such a monochromic design. Emilie was life. Emilie was color. This fortress that Gabriel Agreste built not only locked away his memories of Emilie, but it seemed to be his attempt to protect himself from the loss. He turned his home into a prison as a result. It was almost enough to make Moria pity him. 

Positioned stoically in front of the gloomy self-portrait, the master of the house scowled down upon Moria and Félix as if they were door-to-door salesmen. He was puzzled for a moment upon seeing their designer outfits as Moria had never been one to wear these things. He observed her; chin high, eyes accusing, and posture aggressively confident. 

Realization struck. 

Could it be that Moria, foolhardy mule-headed Moria, felt… insecure? So much so in fact, Gabriel thought with increasing glee, that she would spend a thousand euros she probably couldn’t afford to spare on what was essentially gilded armor just to invade his home. It was almost enough to make him smirk. 

“Moria, what are you doing here?” Gabriel demanded in his typical acerbic manner. Nathalie placed herself at the foot of the marble steps, acting as a barrier between the two. Off to the side, Adrien stood awkwardly beside his bodyguard with the box of smushed pastries. 

“Hello, Gabriel. Lovely foyer you have here. I’m sure it pales in comparison to the rest of your splendid house. In fact, I would love to see your sitting room before we begin to hash this out. So, if you would be so kind?” Moria remarked, gesturing towards his atelier on the left as she leaned more heavily on her walking stick. 

“You haven’t answered my question.” Behind his back, Gabriel’s hands were clenched into tight fists at her words. He had expected that Moria would not have the nerve to show her face back here again, especially after her effrontery at his and Emilie’s wedding, but he should have known better. There were no limits to her gall. Truly, Moria had not changed from the spoiled child she had always been, relying on poor Emilie to clean up after her. Now, she has her own child to look after and Emilie is gone. Gabriel allowed his blue eyes to drift over to Moria’s spawn briefly and swallowed any pity that his hard heart could muster. 

“Visiting my nephew. Now, could we please move somewhere more comfortable?” Moria pressed, tapping her cane impatiently. A grimace of pain flickered over her hardened features, shifting more of her weight away from her bad knee. 

“You haven’t felt the need before in the past fourteen years.” Gabriel asserted, unmoving as a king in his castle. 

“This is how you are going to act? Fine.” Moria ignored the glares from Gabriel and Nathalie as she awkwardly took a seat on the hard stairs. She sighed in relief and then twisted herself around to face them. “I apologize, Gabriel, for sitting here and turning my back on you. It is… Unhöflich, unhöflich, unhöflich… Rude! I know it is rude, but I cannot stand for long periods of time like I used to. And to answer your question, I had not feared for the safety of Adrien before now.” 

“What are you saying?” The edge in Gabriel’s voice warned Moria to select her next words carefully. Adrien and the Gorilla sank back, fearing the displeasure of Gabriel Agreste. Nathalie peered at Moria, as if this was an interesting chess match. Undeterred, the blonde woman met his eye. 

“Where is my sister, Agreste?” She demanded, matching his intensity despite the fact she had to turn around uncomfortably to look up at him. They continued to glare at each other in tense silence until Félix released a bored sigh and stepped between the two. 

“Yes, nicely done, Mother. Antagonizing one of the most powerful figures in Paris is exactly what will help you get answers.” Félix scoffed, moving past his mother as he approached the steps and held out a hand to greet his uncle. “Hello, I’m Félix Paumé. Pleasure to meet you, Uncle.” 

“We are done here.” Gabriel dismissed, looking past him towards his assistant. “Nathalie, please escort Ms. Paumé and her son to the door.” 

The brunette nodded, smirking smugly, while Moria gripped her black cane as if it was a sword for a duel, daring the other woman to approach. 

“But, Father!” Adrien protested, stepping forward, yet Félix surprisingly waved him off. 

“I’m sorry, Uncle, but I was under the impression that someone of your status would act with some decorum. Usually, when someone greets another with a hand out, it is only polite to shake it and return the greeting. Now, I understand your displeasure at my mother, but I expected you not to stoop to her level.” Gabriel narrowed his eyes at the sixteen-year-old’s boldness. He had his mother’s gall; that was obvious enough, but no loyalty to her. He even managed to stun his mother to silence, a feat in itself. Perhaps, there was more to Félix Paumé than Gabriel originally thought. 

“You are correct, Félix. It is impressive to see someone with manners, given the company.” Gabriel admitted grudgingly, approaching his nephew in a new appraising light. Maybe, there was hope for this one yet. Their hands clasped in a firm shake before releasing. 

“Thank you. I’ve learned them from my mother…” Félix cleared his throat, adjusting his black tie, as a hint of red colored his cheeks. He added quickly, “Not that I didn’t have many other role models to draw from. Naturally.” 

“That’s right, Gabe. I have manners too. I reserve them for people who didn’t lose my sister! She has been missing for over a year, Agreste.” Moria snapped, struggling to stand before facing him in her full fury. “I hoped to speak to you about it as civilized beings, but, as my son so kindly reminded you, you have been a poor host. Honestly, you didn’t offer me a seat or a word of greeting. Just left me standing in your foyer and started barking orders. That is no way to treat your guests.” 

“You are not my guests! I did not want you here!”

“You want me to leave? Fine! Tell me what you did to my sister and I’ll happily go back to Germany! We both know Emilie didn’t just leave. She would never leave Adrien behind!” Moria shot back, pointing to the fourteen-year-old on the sidelines. Adrien stood still and obediently, hoping to be allowed to stay and listen. This has been the most anyone had ever spoken of his mother and maybe, he could finally get some answers too. Unfortunately, Gabriel signaled for the Gorilla to take Adrien back to his room. Moria mouthed an apology to the disappointed boy before swinging her furious gaze back to the master of the household. 

“Ms. Paumé,” Nathalie interrupted patronizingly, blocking her view of Gabriel. “I would like to remind you that you are still in Mr. Agreste’s home and your rude accusations will not be tolerated.”

“I’m the rude one? Fine. Think what you will of me. I’m not here for you. I’m here for Adrien and my sister. When Mr. Agreste wishes to come down from that ego of his and talk to me, we are staying at Les Piaules. You can call Room 218.” Moria began to march towards the door and signaled for Félix to follow. They made it to the door before she paused with her hand on the knob.

“Look, Gabriel. I know you don’t like me. There is too much history between us to change that, but not for Adrien.” Moria glanced back at him, but he remained firm. “I would like the opportunity to talk to my nephew. I already missed fourteen years of his life and Emilie lost fourteen years with Félix, because of this dumb feud between us. I would rather if our children not lose anymore.” 

With that said, Moria and Félix exited through the front door. Gabriel stood stiffly in place until they were gone from window view before deliberately heading to the nearest bathroom and pulling out something to relieve the pounding in his head. Nathalie followed dutifully after him, already typing up options on her tablet. “As manipulative as ever. Moria has not changed one bit.” Gabriel gritted his teeth as he downed a glass of water. He tried to take a deep breath and regain his self-control, but the way the glass was bending in his grasp revealed it was a losing battle. 

“Manipulative, sir? She threw a tantrum.” Nathalie remarked, tilting her head. Gabriel bit his tongue to prevent himself from erupting at her density. She knew Moria back in college! They both did! She partied and drank herself under the table, forcing Emilie to come get her. Emilie’s own standing suffered, because she was constantly worrying about her little sister. Yet, it was never Moria’s fault. Moria always pinned the blame on another and led Emilie to start making excuses for her. The strong taste of blood returned him to the present, reminding him of Moria’s new target. 

“Exactly. She baited the hook, but not for us. It was done for Adrien’s benefit. If I say anything against her, he will doubt me, believing I am overreacting or acting too harshly. This is her ploy; she is always the victim and never the aggressor. Moria would try to turn him against me. She practically all but indicted me as the cause of Emilie’s disappearance. Turning me into some shadowy villain.” Gabriel clicked his tongue, staring at his reflection in the glass. “I guess she is not too far off on that one, but she would never understand the lengths I am willing to go to get my wife back.” 

“Of course not, sir. She is not that clever.” 

“You’re right. She’s not. Did you notice how her French improved towards the end? I bet her son is in on it too. Whatever she is planning, they’re in on it together!” He took Nathalie’s surprise as an answer. “For fourteen years, Moria Paumé had turned her back on Emilie and now, a year after everything, she is back to act as some sort of martyr. I won’t allow it!” 

Gabriel threw the glass, watching it shatter to pieces. Nathalie flinched, almost as though she wanted to step back but forced herself still mid-action. The last time she had seen a genuine outburst from him was when Adrien ran away last Christmas. Unlike the previous incident, Gabriel brushed his actions off much more quickly as he took another deep breath and smoothed his hair back into place. Then, he turned towards his assistant expectantly, ignoring her reaction. 

“What are my options?”

“Well, Adrien seems to be her target. Therefore, we can forbid Adrien from speaking with her and the law would be on your side if you wished to take more extreme methods, but as you said, she has already planted the seeds. We both know how Adrien has grown more impulsive these last few months, especially when it deals with his mother, and there is no doubt that he will likely try to seek her out on his own.” Nathalie sighed, looking at her old friend. “Moria had set the stage well. She managed to get to Adrien first at the school and the performance as the victim in the foyer would have been perfect, if not the intervention of her own son. Unless we completely discredit her, Adrien will take it into his own hands to meet with her and learn more about his mother.”

“Hmm… Discredit her? Now, that is an excellent idea and an even better opportunity for an akuma. Maybe, Moria can actually be useful to me.” Gabriel tapped his chin with two fingers as the pieces fell into place. “I think we should give my sister-in-law a call.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations  
> Schätzen = Treasure, Nein Schätzen = Not treasure  
> To add your mustard (German idiom) = to put in your two cents(to give your own opinion, even when it is not wanted)  
> Erzählt Ihnen unsere Lebensgeschichte = Telling you my life story  
> Unhöflich = Rude


	5. Reflections

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Constructive criticism is appreciated. I must thank The Mishmosh Bird for beta-reading this chapter.
> 
> Disclaimer: The Miraculous universe and characters, with the exception of Moria Paumé, belong to Thomas Astruc and Sébastien Thibaudeau. Félix Paumé is based on the character, Félix Agreste, who also belongs to Thomas Astruc and Sébastien Thibaudeau.

“Ugh! I’m so lame!” Marinette collapsed on her bed in dismay. Once again, her endeavour to ask out Adrien had been foiled by none other than Chloé Bourgeois. If it hadn’t been for her hesitation, she could be spending the weekend going to the movies with Adrien. She noticed how glum he was in class. That could have been her opportunity to be there for him and cheer him up, especially with Nino in the hospital. He probably needed it. But, no. She had to second-guess herself at the last moment, allowing Chloé to swoop in. It just wasn’t fair.

“Marinette, you’re not lame. You have more respect for people’s boundaries than others.” Tikki chirped, floating out of her pink purse. “Don’t lose hope, Marinette! Someday, Adrien will notice the kind-hearted individual you are.”

“Thanks, Tikki. You always know what to say to make me feel better.” Marinette smiled as her phone buzzed in her pocket. Rolling onto her back, the fourteen-year-old girl pulled out her phone and saw the new texts from Alya. To her delight, the texts contained pictures of Adrien! Blushing, Marinette silently thanked the universe for bestowing a wonderful best friend upon her.

As she flipped through the pictures, Marinette realized the real reason why Alya texted these photos. Who the woman was talking to Adrien? She looked vaguely familiar, but Marinette couldn’t quite place her, which annoyed her to no end. As the expert in all Adrien-related matters, she felt that she should have at least a clue, but nothing came to mind. Her curiosity turned into full blown confusion at the next picture. There were two Adriens!

How could this be?

Upon closer inspection, the differences became more noticeable. Adrien smiled like a radiant sun, was full of color, and was perfect in every way. The other Adrien, or not-Adrien as Marinette took to calling him in her head, was taller, monochromic, and scowling worse than a soggy day. Still, it was freaky how much they looked like. Who were these people? Relatives? The not-Adrien looked too much like Adrien not to be.

She lingered at the image of the not-Adrien. Alya always said how much Adrien looked like Chat Noir, but Marinette never saw it. However, this not-Adrien certainly had a resemblance. Could this be… Chat Noir?

“Hey, Tikki! Is this… Doesn’t this guy look like Chat Noir?” Marinette asked before she could stop herself. Of course, Tikki would know if this was Chat Noir. After that incident with the Dark Owl, Marinette has resisted asking her kwami about it. Keeping their identities secret was of utmost importance. Still, she would be lying if she said that she was not the least bit curious. Tikki looked at her funnily before peeking at the picture.

“Are you sure you want me to answer that, Marinette? You never wanted to know who Chat Noir was before.” Tikki inquired gently, tapping her hands together nervously.

“Of course, you’re right, Tikki. Forget I ever asked!” Marinette blushed, sitting up in bed. She glanced back at her phone, flicking through the pictures one more time. No, it couldn’t be. The not-Adrien lacked Chat’s cheer and seemed to be a little on the tall side. Then again, after this morning, that was starting to sound a bit like Chat. She decided to do some homework to take her mind off the matter, but the events of this morning weighed heavily. She had not seen Chat Noir so distracted since Mr. Agreste became the Collector. He kept glancing back to her parents’ bakery throughout the fight and full on sprinted there once the akuma was taken care of. What was so special about the bakery this morning?

Marinette glanced through the pictures Alya sent. In some, the mysterious woman was hugging Adrien. In others, she was squaring off to Mr. Agreste’s assistant. Something kept calling Marinette back to the images with the not-Adrien, who mostly hung out in the background.

At first, she assumed it was the similarities between the two Adriens. Upon closer inspection of one picture, she noticed a familiar insignia on the white box in the not-Adrien’s hands. That box was from her family’s bakery. That woman and the not-Adrien bought pastries from Marinette’s family’s bakery. Then, maybe… No, no, no! She mustn’t do this. She won’t investigate! She… They can’t know each other’s identities. And, yet… 

“Mom, Dad? Did anyone… Did anyone unusual visit the bakery this morning?” She called down from her loft. Tikki’s blue eyes grew as wide as quarters as she hovered on Marinette’s shoulder.

“Marinette! What are you doing?” The kwami shrieked while trying to keep her voice down. The fourteen-year-old was wondering the same thing, but could not stop herself. Her mother, in the middle of preparing dinner downstairs, thought for a moment before answering.

“Unusual? Not really, just the usual group. The Cheneverts, Mr. Genereux with his latest date, and some tourists. One poor soul this morning had stumbled into the store during that akuma attack.”

“What did they look like? The one from the akuma attack?”

“Oh, your average tourist. Blonde with a thick German accent. Oh, and she walked with a cane too. I hope she got back to her hotel alright.” Marinette’s thoughts raced over her mother’s words. A blonde woman with a cane had visited the bakery this morning while Chat was fighting Giant King. A blonde woman with a cane had picked Adrien up from school. Was this the same woman? What was the connection between her and Adrien? Was she the reason Chat was so distracted this morning?

“Why do you ask, sweetie?” Sabine walked below the loft door to inquire, rubbing her hands on her apron.

“Umm… You know, school stuff. For, for, for… Umm, lit! No, math! I mean, economics. How akumas affect businesses and stuff! Thanks, Mom!” Marinette retreated back into her room, berating herself. Neither she nor Chat can know anything about their secret identities. It was for their own safety as well as everyone they care about! “Marinette, what was that about?” Tikki asked, full of concern. Marinette knew the only unusual thing about this is her. She always upheld the rule. So, what changed?

“I… I don’t know, Tikki. Never mind, just a thought.” She knew she shouldn’t. She could just ignore it and move on. They had bigger concerns and other priorities, such as the physics exam in Ms. Mendeleiev’s class on Monday. Still, Marinette couldn’t ignore the pain on Chat’s face today. She cared about him too much and never wanted to see him in that kind of pain again.


End file.
